Next year's edition of British tradeshow London Design Fair has been cancelled, as the organisers said it had difficulties in serving the "very broad spectrum of companies exhibiting at the fair effectively".

London Design Fair was the last major standalone design tradeshow to take place in London after Design London, previously 100% Design, merged with Clerkenwell Design Week earlier this year.

The tradeshow was due to take place at the Truman Brewery in Shoreditch, east London, in September 2024 but has been postponed "for the immediate future", its organisers said.

Fair "leaves a legacy of creativity"

"The event has always been a highlight of the design year, with incredible engagement from the community, including over 100,000 followers on social media, and 13,000 people coming to the show this year," said managing director of diversified communications Carsten Holm.

"However, we have found it increasingly difficult to serve the very broad spectrum of companies exhibiting at the fair effectively and reconcile the high expectations for an event of this quality, with the commercial support from the industry."

"London Design Fair leaves a legacy of creativity, innovation, and community," Holm continued.

"The decision to postpone reflects the commitment to delivering an event that not only meets but exceeds the high standards set by the diverse and dynamic design community."

Cancellation comes after first post-Covid edition

London Design Fair returned this year after a three-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, which saw it cancelled along with numerous other events.

The fair took place as part of this year's London Design Festival and included an exhibition by design studio 2LG called You Can Sith With Us, which showcased work by emerging designers.

In an opinion piece about the London Design Festival, Dezeen editorial director Max Fraser found some of the exhibitors to be of "questionable quality".

"On my visit, the experience of meandering through the aisles felt rather lacklustre and predictable," Fraser said. "Exhibitors, some of questionable quality, were confined within the standard booth format and illuminated with stark, cold light."

Other projects at this year's London Design Festival included designer Rio Kobayashi's first solo show and a bench reimagined as a giant game of Oware.